An IRC network is a collection of servers connected together. When you log onto an IRC network, you are connecting to one of the servers on that network. Since all the servers are connected to each other you are connected to all the other users even though they may not be connected to the same server as you. All servers on a network share and have access to the same information. Each server knows who is on the network, what channel that user is on, and which server the user is on as well.

A channel is similar to a chat room, when you speak, everyone else in the channel hears you too. You can use IRC to talk in channels, or to talk privately to your friends.

You can also use IRC to join channels that are dedicated to file-sharing, music, videos, etc. HydraIRC allows you to send and receive files via the DCC protocol.